I HATE IT, BOSS!
by peppe1951
Summary: Summary: Tony takes it among himself to show a fellow agent just how much his boss cares for him. Warning: Disciplining of an adult. Don’t like? Don’t read! Disclaimer: NCIS belongs to CBS and Paramount; I only write about them Spoilers: Season 3
1. Chapter 1

**I HATE IT, BOSS!**

By Peppe1951

**Summary**: Tony takes it among himself to show a fellow agent just how much his boss cares for him.

**Warning:** Disciplining of an adult. Don't like? Don't read! **Disclaimer:** NCIS belongs to CBS and Paramount; I only write about them

**Spoilers:** Season 3

**Prologue:**

"DiNozzo, you are just fooling yourself. Gibbs only cares about you as one of his team; that you function as a good agent. He doesn't really care about you as an individual," taunted Agent Rivers.

"You're wrong and I'll prove it," argued Tony.

They had been having this argument for the past few days after Tony had unwittingly mentioned that his boss cared about him. Agent Rivers had been jealous of Tony ever since they had joined NCIS and Gibbs had chosen DiNozzo over him. Rivers had used every opportunity to ridicule Tony; in fact he took such delight in causing Tony grief in hopes that maybe Tony would get fed up and leave NCIS so he could take his place.

"Tony, don't let him bother you; we know that Gibbs cares and that is all you need to know," admonished Abby Scuito, NCIS best Forensic scientist and Tony's friend, as she pulled him off the elevator.

Tony was still mad and muttering that he would show Rivers just how much Gibbs cared for him when he was pushed into his chair by Abby.

"This isn't the time, Tony; Gibbs will be here any minute and you don't want him to find out that you and Rivers are still fighting…you remember what he said last time he had to pull the two of you apart?"

Tony winced, he remembered all too well. Gibbs had headslapped him and had threatened him with something a bit more painful and a bit lower than his head. He had gotten the message and had tried to keep away from Rivers and had succeeded up until now when Rivers had sought him out…and now all he wanted to do was to wipe that smug sneer from his enemy's face no matter what the consequences.

**Chapter 1**

The team hadn't had a case for a few days and Gibbs had decided that they could use the time to look into some cold cases. Tony was faking his search so he could research something else…a way to show Rivers that his boss really cared and with April 1st just around the corner he thought he would disguise it as a April Fools prank only he wouldn't play it on his boss but on the Probie, Agent McGee. He knew that if he played it right Gibbs would have to show his true feelings especially if Tony was in danger.

He hoped that by playing it on McGee that he would save his butt from retribution by Gibbs and only be verbally reprimanded and by playing it on McGee he wouldn't have to worry about any revenge.

They had just wiped up the case of the two housewives who had been running a live Internet sex site. One had been supposedly killed on live Internet with a knife that slash her throat…she hadn't been found at the scene. It turned out that she had faked her death. The "killer" had used a fake knife. During their investigation Abby had located several fake knives at a magic shop before determining that the one with the hollow point was the culprit…it leaked fake blood as it was slashed against the victim's throat. All of the knives Abby bought were in evidence locker downstairs and Tony knew he could borrow one and use it to make everyone think he had been injured.

Tony's idea was simple; he was going to do something to make McGee think that he had hurt himself and mention it to Gibbs and then let Rivers see that Gibbs did care enough to ask if he was okay. But that wasn't what actually happened.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

April the 1st came ever so gently with no pranks being played which suited Gibbs just fine. He hated April Fool's Day even as a kid and now it was no different. They were still working on cold cases when he dismissed his team to go to lunch. He had noticed DiNozzo's exuberance and had assumed that he had something planned for celebrating the day. He was probably going to play some type of prank on McGee. He knew that the agent had more sense not to play anything on Ziva or especially him, not if he wanted to sit comfortably for the rest of the day.

He watched as Powers' team was returning from lunch as his was leaving and noticed the glances DiNozzo and Rivers were giving each other and held his breath, "No, not again. It looks like DiNozzo and I are going to have to have that discussion once again the one that always ended badly for Tony, if this blossoms to more than glances." But when nothing else happened; Gibbs slowly began to breathe as the two men separation became wider without any words. He had already heard about the alteration the two had earlier in the elevator and hoped that there were be no more.

Tony had waited until they were on their way back to work before pulling out the knife and showing it to McGee. "Hey Probie, what do you think of my new knife?"

"Kind of big to carry around isn't it Tony?" responded McGee as Ziva looked on interestingly.

"He could always carry it in a sheath at his belt Tim; he wouldn't have to carry it in his pocket," offered Ziva.

"Well, you know about Gibbs' rule dealing always having a knife," Tony quoted as he began to flip the knife up and then catching it at the hilt as part of his plan. But what he hadn't counted on was Gibbs arriving at that precise moment on his run for coffee and watching in horror as the knife sank in to Tony's side.

"DiNozzo!" shouted Gibbs as he saw what had to be a serious injury.

Tony had played his part too well and had fallen to the ground with the knife still impeded in his side as he watched with glee McGee's and then Ziva's reaction but when he heard his name shouted in anguished and whipped his head around to observe Gibbs's reaction he started to show real fear.

Gibbs ran to his agent's side with phone out calling for Ducky as he ran; he knelt by Tony's side showing not only his two other agents but NCIS employees that he really did have a heart. "It's going to be okay DiNozzo," he said with concern as he looked at Tony's 'wound'; Ducky is on his way."

Tony tried to get up and own up to the fact that this was only a prank on McGee but was pushed gently back down by a worried Gibbs, "Don't move Tony; we'll let the doctor check you out first."

They didn't have to wait for long as Ducky and Palmer made their way to Tony's side. Palmer was carrying the doctor's little black bag as Ducky knelt at Tony's side. "Oh Anthony what have you done to yourself this time?"

"It's really nothing Ducky," Tony said as he tried to ease away Ducky's concern as a crowd began to gather.

"Let me be the judge of that," replied Ducky as he quickly looked Tony over and found that the knife wasn't located anywhere dangerous. He then gestured for Gibbs.

"Jethro, I don't think this life threatening; at least not at the moment. Let's get you all back to the squad room and then I can explain without everybody watching."

"Are you sure Duck?"

"Yes, by some miracle the knife only slightly injured young Anthony; he will be okay," replied the ME after giving the young agent a glare as he helped the agent up. It hadn't taken him long to see that the knife in question had been a fake. It had only looked like it had been plunged into Anthony's side.

That appeased the older agent some and they all made their way back to the squad room where Tony was allowed to return to his desk and Ducky indicated that Gibbs was to follow him for a more complete explanation.

After watching their boss leave McGee and Ziva hurried to Tony's side. "That was some lucky accident you had Tony. I thought you had done yourself a grievous injury when that knife had plunged into your side," remarked Ziva as McGee nodded.

"It was nothing…only a scratch," replied Tony as he continued his play acting. "If he could fool them all a bit longer then he could escape the day without any serious injury of the Gibbs quality.


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

"Okay Ducky, how did that knife mysteriously missed causing DiNozzo any harm?"

Ducky only showed him the knife and said, "Does it look familiar to you Jethro?"

Gibbs took the proffered knife and looked at it closer before the truth of the matter hit him and he roared, "He used a fake knife!!"

Ducky nodded.

"This was only an April Fools' prank…he played a prank on me?"

"No, I bet my last dollar the prank was played on McGee; it was unfortunate that you and Ziva witnessed it," Ducky explained further.

"What are you going to do to him?"

"I was a cruel prank to play on anyone and I'm going to explain that to him in a way he will most understand," replied Gibbs quietly.

********

"When Gibbs returned to the squad room he noticed that Tony was gathering his things in preparation of leaving and remarked casually,

"Are you going somewhere DiNozzo?"

"Yes, I thought that I would go home; I don't feel that good, boss."

'Oh, you are going to be feeling a lot worse soon,' Gibbs thought as he made his way to his senior agent's side.

"Is it your wound that is causing you pain DiNozzo?"

"Yes," replied Tony as he began to move away from his desk.

"I find that hard to believe DiNozzo," Gibbs said quietly before roaring, "SINCE THE WOUND WAS CAUSED BY THIS FAKE KNIFE!" as he threw the offending item on Tony's desk.

Tony sat quickly down as he turned pale as a ghost. "Boss, it was only a joke but I didn't play it on you," he hurried explained.

"A fake knife," repeated McGee as he took the whole prank in. "You played another one of your stupid pranks on me?" he added in outrage.

Tony only nodded as he kept his eyes glued on Gibbs and what he was going to do next. 'I knew I should have left while he was with Ducky, but I had to stay and rub the fact that Gibbs cared to Rivers,' he thought to himself.

"DINOZZO! With me," he added as he walked away secure in the knowledge that Tony was at his heels.

Tony got up on shaky legs but followed his boss from the squad room as he began to explain. "It was only supposed to scare McGee and maybe Ziva and then I was going to jump up and yell 'April's Fool' and that would have been that. I didn't know that you would be there to see the whole scene and make such an issue of it."

Gibbs didn't say anything as he led Tony to the last interrogation room, "Get in there," he barked as he closed the door behind him.

Tony did as he was asked and waited uneasily for his boss' return. He didn't' have to wait long when Gibbs returned about fifteen minutes later shouting, "Of all of the stupid stunts you have pulled in the past DiNozzo this one really takes the case! Don't you know that you scared ten years off my life when I saw that knife plunge into you…don't you ever to that again," cried Gibbs as he pulled the young man into a hug. "Tony I do care for you; you should know that and not let someone like Rivers cause you to try and prove it."

That last statement startled Tony and he asked, "How did you know?"

"Abby told me," replied Gibbs gently, "she also told me that the alteration in the elevator wasn't your fault that Rivers had goaded you into responding the way you did. But I'm telling you now Tony that if you ever pull a stunt like the one you just pulled you will not be sitting comfortably for a month."

"I got you Boss," replied Tony as started for the door. "I'll just get back to work now."

"Not so fast DiNozzo," Gibbs said as he began to unbuckle his belt, "we have a little matter to discuss now," he added as he pulled the belt from his pants.

"BOSS!" cried Tony as he began to panic at the sight of the belt in Gibbs' hand. "You said that if I did that again you would make sure I didn't sit comfortable for a month."

"I did…but I didn't say I wouldn't punish you for what you did today…now get into position and lose the pants," he ordered as he watched the younger man return to the table and reluctantly got into the correct position after lowering his trousers.

"You know the old adage of this hurting me more than you DiNozzo," asked Gibbs suddenly.

Tony nodded as Gibbs continued, "Well in this case I think it was all wrong…this is going to hurt you much worse," before letting the first lick fly.

"Owwwwwww," howled Tony as the first lick was placed harshly in the center of his buttocks, followed closely by two others.

"How do you like April Fools' Day now DiNozzo?" asked Gibbs as he continued to pepper Tony's backside with his belt.

"I hate it Boss…owwwww…owwww…owwwww…owwwww…I HATE IT!"

**The End**


End file.
